


Simply having a wonderful Christmastime

by bad_ash10



Series: Christmas Time is Here [3]
Category: Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D. (TV)
Genre: Background Relationships, Christmas Time, F/M, Family Feels, FitzSimmons - Freeform, Gen, Gen Work, Philinda - Freeform, Post Season 7, dousy, this is mostly a family feels fic though
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-12-30
Updated: 2020-12-30
Packaged: 2021-03-10 18:07:25
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 5,203
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/28421436
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/bad_ash10/pseuds/bad_ash10
Summary: Almost two years after the season 7 finale, the team is able together for Christmas at the FitzSimmons cottage in Perthshire.
Relationships: Phil Coulson & Leo Fitz & Melinda May & Jemma Simmons & Skye | Daisy Johnson, Phil Coulson & Melinda May & Skye | Daisy Johnson
Series: Christmas Time is Here [3]
Series URL: https://archiveofourown.org/series/2042866
Comments: 14
Kudos: 45





	Simply having a wonderful Christmastime

**Author's Note:**

  * For [StarlightDreamer21](https://archiveofourown.org/users/StarlightDreamer21/gifts), [browneyedgenius](https://archiveofourown.org/users/browneyedgenius/gifts), [aziyee](https://archiveofourown.org/users/aziyee/gifts), [MelindaMayOwnsMe](https://archiveofourown.org/users/MelindaMayOwnsMe/gifts).



> Hi, dear readers! So, yes. I know it is after Christmas, but life got in the way and then I started binge watching The 100 and did not get this finished by the holiday. So. Merry New Year? That's - that's a thing right?
> 
> This fic started months ago as a draft of tumblr post about how great of a holiday special we could have from AoS, and then I decided to turn it into a fic instead. :)
> 
> I hope you guys enjoy, and take comfort in knowing this is fluff. No angst this time.

The holidays are typically a time for family. Or, that’s what Daisy had always heard anyway.

As a child growing up, she never stayed in one home long enough to experience a real family Christmas. Or, hell, even a real Christmas _ period. _

And then with her Shield family, there often wasn’t much time to celebrate holidays, other than a small gift exchange here and there. Or occasionally an evening spent drinking beer together between missions.

Which is why when Jemma had called in October asking Daisy to make sure she was on earth for Christmas, Daisy had readily agreed. Jemma added that she was trying to make it so their entire former team could visit, including the globe-trotting Coulson who was difficult to get in touch with on his travels.

Of course, as luck would have it, Daisy and Daniel were delayed arriving back to earth, meaning they didn’t arrive at the small cottage in Perthshire until late Christmas Eve night.

Daisy had been waiting so long to see her family again, and even though she knew they would all be asleep, she couldn’t mask her nervous excitement as she walked through the front door, just imagining being able to be with the people she loved most instead of sitting with them in a virtual framework.

Needing some light, Daisy flipped the switch by the doorway, illuminating none other than Melinda May coming down the staircase, a beaming smile on her face.

Daisy dropped her bags and met May at the bottom of the stairs, wrapping her in the tightest hug she could manage.

May hugged her back equally tightly. “ _ I’m so glad you’re here,”  _ she whispered quietly.

Daisy sighed contentedly into May’s shoulder. “Wǒ hěn xiǎng nǐ.”  _ I missed you so much. _

If Melinda was surprised that Daisy had learned to speak Mandarin, she didn’t show it. Instead, she chuckled lightly as she pulled back to look at Daisy. “Shì shéi jiào nǐ de?”  _ Who taught you? _

“Kora has been working with me since we have  _ a lot  _ of spare time while we’re traveling. Was my pronunciation okay?”

May grinned proudly. “Perfect.”

Sousa cleared his throat from where he was still stuck just inside the open door, his arms full of the rest of their bags. “Sorry to interrupt, ladies, but if I could get a hand? I’d do it myself, but  _ someone, _ ” he said with an accusing look at Daisy, “-dropped half of our bags in the doorway, and I can’t get inside.”

“Sorry,” Daisy said, as they moved to help Daniel through the door and shut it quietly behind him to avoid waking any of their sleeping friends.

May helped them carry their bags to Fitz’s office, where Simmons had already made up the pullout sofa bed for them. “Alya is awake,” Melinddna announced as she entered the room, Daisy and Daniel close behind.

“What?” Daniel asked. “How do you know?”

“She’s an empath, remember? I’m sure she felt her vibe change or something,” Daisy said matter of factly.

May chuckled. “Actually, her room is above us. Did you two not hear her walking?”

Daisy and Daniel shared a look. “Uhhhh…”

“Honestly. You two are  _ spies _ . You’d think you’d be more observant. And Daisy, I trained you. Don’t tell me all the years as your S.O. were wasted,” May teased.

Before they could answer, a small voice asked from the doorway, “Nainai?”

“Alya, baby, look who’s here,” May said, gesturing to Daisy and Sousa.

Alya gave Daisy and Daniel a wide berth to go hide behind Melinda, but once she had latched on to May, she spoke shyly, almost in a whisper. “Hi, Aunt Daisy.” She didn’t speak to Sousa, but she did offer him a quick wave.

Daisy grinned, “Hey, Alya.” Daisy wasn’t sure why, but no matter how much she spoke with Alya on video calls, the kid always took a little while to warm up when she saw Daisy in person.

“Here, let me take you back to bed. I’ll tuck you in nice and tight,” May said warmly, scooping the girl up.

Alya immediately wrapped her arms around May’s neck and put her head on the woman’s shoulder. “But what about Aunt Daisy?” she asked.

Melinda pressed a gentle kiss to the top of Alya’s head. “We’ll give her a hug goodnight, and then we can see her in the morning, ok?”

Alya yawned and nodded against May’s shoulder.

Daisy had been watching the exchange between these two in amazement. She had never seen May like this, so…  _ soft _ . Daisy could see even more clearly how great of a mother May could’ve been in another life. May had always been like a mother to her, but it was different, seeing Melinda with a little kid in her arms.

“Daisy?” May asked, beckoning her over with her free hand.

They managed somehow to do a group hug, albeit a somewhat award one, and May bid them goodnight as she carried Alya back upstairs.

“Okay. That was weird, right?” Daniel asked, perplexed.

Daisy shrugged as she started digging in the suitcase for her pajamas. “Ya know? I think it’s great for May. She comes to visit at least once every couple of months according to Jemma, and I think May needs that. It’s one thing to call me every few days, but I’m glad she’s got people  _ here _ .”

“Oh, yeah. I get that, but still. Terrifying Agent May? With a 6-year-old on her hip? Weird.” Daniel shook his head, still trying to process what he had witnessed.

“And did you hear what Alya called her?”

Daniel shook his head.

“ _ Nainai.”  _ Daisy answered pointedly.

Daniel obviously needed a translation as he still looked blank.

“Grandmother, Danny-boy. She called May _Grandmother.”_

* * *

The next morning the entire house was awoken at daybreak by a squeal from little Alya. As her room was closest to Alya’s, May arrived first only to see Alya dancing around her room and chanting, “It snowed! It snowed! It snowed!”

Melinda took Alya’s hands and joined in the dancing and even spun them around in a few circles, only making Alya squeal louder as Fitz and Daisy both arrived in the doorway, panting and out of breath from their sprint upstairs.

“ _We thought,_ ” Fitz wheezed between breaths, “ _Something had…_ _happened_.”

“Sorry,” Melinda said with a youthful grin. “We were excited because of the snow!” Even though she could now ‘turn off’ her empath abilities when she wanted to, it was harder to do with Alya. Something about the child’s enthusiasm broke through her defenses every time.

Daisy clapped Fitz on the shoulder. “Well now that we know everything is fine, let’s get some breakfast and then have a snowball fight!”

Alya jumped up and down excitedly. “Ooh, can we, daddy? Can we?” she asked hopefully

“Yeah, dad. Can we?” Daisy added with a laugh, nudging Fitz in the ribs.

Fitz looked from Alya to Daisy and finally to May. “I reckon we can make that happen,” he responded, getting a cheer from everyone.

* * *

“Jemma?” Daisy asked. “I think May is corrupting your child.”

Jemma looked up from where she was pulling on her boots, following Daisy’s gaze to where May was teaching Alya how to aim when throwing snowballs. “We’re going to get ambushed, aren’t we?”

Daisy grinned. “I’d say there’s about a 90% chance we are going to lose this fight.”

Fitz and Sousa joined them in the foyer, both dressed and ready for the outdoors.

“Are we ready, ladies?” Daniel asked as he kissed Daisy’s cheek.

“Yeah, but I hope you’re ready to lose,” Daisy told them. “May’s teaching Alya to aim, so we’re all doomed.”

Fitz laughed as he led them out the door. “Well, Daisy, it just so happens, I was invited to be on the team with the two of them. Which means  _ you’re  _ the ones who are doomed.”

* * *

The snowball fight lasted longer than May expected, and they were all out of breath from running in the cold air. Alya had talked them into playing “for a few more minutes” several times already before the little girl threw a snowball that hit Daisy directly in the eye, bringing the game to a crashing halt.

“No, no. I’m fine,” Daisy kept insisting, even though Melinda could feel how much pain she was in. “It’ll be fine in a few minutes.”

Melinda could also feel Alya’s remorse radiating off the young girl at her side. “I’m sorry, Aunt Daisy. I didn’t think I would hit you in the face. I thought I’d miss and hit your shoulder like last time.”

“Alya, were you aiming for Daisy’s face?” Simmons asked.

She hung her head and whispered. “Yes. I’m sorry.”

Daisy crouched down, one hand still covering her hurt eye. “Look, A. I’m  _ really  _ impressed with your aim, ok! Nainai taught you so well, didn’t she?”

Alya nodded shyly, looking up at Daisy through her long lashes.

“My eye will be ok, but next time, aim for my shoulder if you don’t mind.”

Alya nodded again. “Ok.”

“Ok,” Daisy said in agreement. “Now give me a five for that awesome aim, kid!”

Alya grinned and slapped Daisy’s outstretched palm before Fitz scooped the girl up and carried her toward the door. “Come on, ya little monkey. Let’s go start cooking our Christmas dinner!”

Once the rest of their crew had gone back inside, May gently pried Daisy’s hand from her face, and looked at Daisy’s eye, looking for any signs of injury.

“I don’t think it would’ve been a big deal if it hadn’t been mostly ice,” Daisy said with a wince as Melinda gingerly felt the area.

Melinda examined Daisy’s eye closely. After all, she knew all about taking a hit to the face from all her time in the field. “I think you’ll be ok, but it might bruise, Dais.”

“Damn. A black eye on Christmas.”

May looped her arm through Daisy’s, and they made their way back to the house.

“So, uh... You haven’t mentioned Coulson since I’ve been here, May,” Daisy said, probing for information.

Melinda shrugged. “There’s nothing to mention.”

“Suuuure.”

“Really,” May insisted. “I haven’t heard from him more than twice in the last three months. He’s been off the grid mostly.”

“Uh huh,” Daisy said skeptically. “In that case, I bet you have no idea if he will be here for dinner.”

As per usual, Melinda’s face gave nothing away. “None whatsoever.”

Daisy eyed May suspiciously, trying to decide if she was telling the truth or playing coy. “Hmm. I guess we’ll find out together then.”

* * *

They sat down to dinner that evening, all the adults exhausted- FitzSimmons from doing all of the cooking, and May, Daisy, and Sousa from keeping Alya entertained for the day. Somehow though, Alya was still full of boundless energy, and chattering away to her mother, reliving the excitement of playing games and giving Daniel a ‘makeover,’ much to Melinda and Daisy’s amusement.

Everyone was still piling food on their plates when there was a knock at the door.

“Oh, good! They’re finally here!” Simmons exclaimed as she rushed to answer the door.

Even from two rooms away, May recognized the familiar voices. Mack and Yoyo had arrived.

“I told the Turtleman that we would be late, and what do you know? We’re  _ late,”  _ Yoyo teased.

Mack shushed her as they walked into the dining room. “Hey, hey, hey. Let’s try to remember there is a  _ child  _ present. We can continue this conversation later _ ,”  _ he said good naturedly.

After greetings all around, Mack and Yoyo took their seats, and they were all crowded around the dinner table like one big, happy, dysfunctional family once again.

They had moved on to dessert when May felt a tug on her sleeve. “Nainai?” Alya asked, whispering in May’s ear.

“What is it, baby?” May asked, turning in her chair to look at the little girl.

“Do you know what time Santa is coming? I can’t remember if it will be after I go to bed or before.”

Melinda smiled. “No, sweetie. Santa comes on Christmas Eve, not Christmas Day.”

Alya gave her a puzzled look. “No, he doesn’t,” she said with a sigh. “I guess you don’t know then. That’s ok, Nainai.” The girl patted her on the arm sympathetically, leaving Melinda perplexed as she walked away.

* * *

The group was squeezed into the living room that was nearly too small to hold them. Sousa, Daisy, and May were on the couch; Alya was in Daisy’s lap and almost asleep on her shoulder. Fitz and Jemma were sharing one of the comfy armchairs, and Mack and Yoyo occupied the second one.

May glanced around the room and couldn’t help but feel content. After all the hell they had been through together, she reveled in these peaceful moments when they were able to relax and sit quietly, enjoying each other’s company.

She lowered her guard, allowing the emotions of the others to slowly ease into her consciousness. They were all peaceful. Calm. Happy to simply  _ be,  _ and not  _ be needed.  _ Even if it was for just a few hours at Christmas.

There was no impending apocalypse to avert. No aliens to fight. No robots with Inhuman abilities to defeat.

Their bonds had been forged in the fire, in the battles they had fought, and now without the constant stress and anxiety of the field, she could only feel the trust and love that remained.

Melinda sat still, soaking in the happy contentment around her while she could. Mack and Yoyo would be leaving soon, on their way to visit Mack’s younger brother. And Daisy and Sousa only had one more day before they would leave to rendezvous with Kora so they could once again traverse the galaxy.

Suddenly, May noticed a shift in Fitz’s mood, and she snapped to attention. “What’s wrong, Fitz?”

“Might be nothing,” Fitz said, shaking his head as he looked at his phone. “The perimeter motion sensor was tripped by a car pulling in the driveway.”

At this news, everyone was now on high alert, Daisy hurriedly handing a confused and sleepy Alya off to Jemma. Nothing could put a group of spies and Shield agents on edge more than an unexpected visitor.

Daisy was first to speak up. “I’ll go check it out.”

“Wait, Aunt Daisy, I bet it’s Santa,” Alya said with a wide yawn.

Jemma attempted to shush her, but Melinda wanted to hear what she had to say. “What do you mean, Alya? Why do you think it’s Santa?”

“I told you, Nainai. He’s coming today, I just didn’t remember  _ what time.” _

Daisy turned her attention to Alya. “Who is Santa?”

The little girl buried her face in her mother’s shoulder. “He told me not to say. I’m only supposed to call him Santa.”

Headlights flashed behind the curtains and Mack moved to the window. “It’s too late anyway,” he said as he peeked through the blinds. “Plus, I think we all know this Santa,” he added with a smile as he headed for the front door.

Melinda could feel Mack’s relief and happiness and she reassured the others there was no threat to their safety. She now had a good guess who Mack would return with, but her heart still leapt at the sight of Phil Coulson, standing in a bright red suit, matching Santa hat, and a cloth sack draped over his shoulder, all dusted with snow from his walk from the driveway.

“Santa, you made it!” Alya said happily as she shimmied out of her mother’s arms and ran full speed toward Coulson. He just barely managed to catch her when she leapt excitedly into his arms.

“Of course I did,” Phil said with a wide smile, hugging Alya tightly. “Did you keep my secret?”

Alya nodded eagerly.

“Good. Were they all surprised?”

“Yes, Pop-pop! They were  _ very  _ surprised,” she said with a giggle.

Daisy, who was grinning broadly, elbowed Melinda gently. “So, I take it you  _ didn’t  _ know he was going to be here?”

Melinda scoffed. “Don’t worry. I’ll discuss it with him later.  _ At length. _ ”

Coulson made his rounds, hugging everyone in turn. Mack clapped him on the shoulder as Yo-yo greeted him with a “Merry Christmas, boss.” Then he hugged Fitz and Simmons, who managed to get Alya out of his arms, and even Sousa, before he stood in front of May and Daisy. The latter of which threw her arms around his neck and didn’t let him go for a long while.

When at last he turned to May, he hesitated, obviously unsure if she would want a hug, too, but she readily went into his arms, fitting against his chest as if she was always supposed to be there.

“I’ve missed you so much, Melinda,” he whispered in her ear.

She sighed contentedly and simply held him until Mack cleared his throat. Melinda reluctantly let go of Phil.

Phil stepped back toward the door and retrieved his sack of gifts. “Okay, who wants their presents?”

* * *

After they all opened their gifts, Mack and Yoyo said their goodbyes to everyone as they headed off to visit Mack’s brother, and Fitz took Alya upstairs to put her to bed, leaving Simmons, Sousa, Daisy, Melinda, and Phil gathered around the fireplace, sipping on wine and sharing stories of their past missions.

Daisy was laughing breathlessly as they reminisced and had trouble getting words out through the laughter. “Do you remember the time…. On the bus…. When May put shaving cream…. on Fitz’s hand?”

Jemma was laughing equally hard. “Yeeeeesssss! And he came into the common room-”

“With it all down his face!” Daisy finished for her, before they both dissolved once again into fits of laughter.

May smiled at the two of them having such a good time. “You know, I don’t think that was me, girls.”

Her denial only made them laugh harder.

Phil chuckled and elbowed her in the ribs. “Come on, Mel. Admit it.”

She shrugged. “I don’t know  _ what  _ you’re talking about.”

Sousa had been watching the conversation as one would watch a tennis match, his gaze darting from one person to the next trying to decide who to believe. Melinda winked at him, and she saw the realization dawn on him she really had pulled the prank on Fitz. It was quite amusing to see him process this new information.

“What about when May was willing to help you bury a body, Jem?” Daisy asked, fighting back another fit of giggles.

Jemma looked puzzled. “What do you mean?”

Melinda was laughing herself now. “I think she means at the Hub.”

Daisy and Jemma began laughing so hard they both soon had tears streaming down their faces and were gasping for breath.

“It’s all your fault for involving me in your ‘bad girl shenanigans,’ Daisy!” Jemma defended.

Sousa looked puzzled. “Somebody want to fill me in?”

Melinda leaned into Phil’s side and he put an arm around her shoulders, making them both more comfortable. “The short version is that Jemma shot a commanding officer at a Shield base,” May answered as Daisy and Jemma still laughed at the memory.

They all chuckled at Daniel’s widened eyes.

“Don’t worry. She used an icer,” Phil assured him, amused.

Jemma pulled herself together enough to speak. “And it turned out he was Hydra anyway, so it really didn’t matter in the end.”

“But you didn’t know that when you shot him?”

“No, none of us knew,” Daisy answered.

Daniel sighed heavily. “Ok, on that note, I think I’ve learned all I can about you people today. I’m going to bed,” Sousa said, standing and shaking his head in disbelief.

Daisy chuckled. “Aw, come on Danny-boy. Don’t you want to hear about the time May kicked me off the Bus, I intentionally crashed an SUV, impersonated May, intimidated a billionaire into hacking his own bank account, and then stole his sports car?”

May grinned as Sousa asked, “W-was that all in one day? Wait... actually, I don’t want to know. I’ve heard enough for one day.” He kissed Daisy on the cheek and bade them all goodnight.

Simmons looked at her watch. “I suppose I had better turn in as well. Alya will be up early tomorrow.”

“G’night, Jemma,” Phil and Melinda said together.

“Night, everyone!” she said, leaving the three of them alone into the living room.

Daisy came over to sit with her parents on the couch, dragging her blanket along with her. “You guys wanna watch a movie or something?”

* * *

Halfway through the movie, Melinda heard soft snores from where Daisy was propped on the arm of the couch.

“Phil?” she said softly, taking full advantage of the first chance they had to speak to one another without anyone overhearing.

“Hmm?”

“Are you done traveling this time?”

He looked down to where she was still nestled against him, flashing a grin. “I was thinking I’d talk to you about that job offer you keep telling me about.”

Melinda smiled at him in return. “It would be good to have you close by again.”

“Well, I figure almost two years of traveling is more than enough. Don’t you think?”

She hummed her agreement and Phil kissed the top of her head. “And maybe we could talk about us at some point. See where we stand,” she said in barely more than a whisper.

“I think we should, Mel.”

She burrowed closer against him, seeking both warmth and comfort, and Daisy shifted on her other side, snoring louder as her head lolled forward.

“Oh, Phil?”

“Yeah?”

Melinda smirked. “Don’t wake Daisy up when I tell you this, ok?” She may not be able to use her empath powers on Phil, but she knew how he would react when she shared this piece of information with him.

He looked at her, confusion evident on his face. “Ok…”

“I think Sousa is going to ask us for permission to ask Daisy to marry him.”

“ _ What? _ ” he hissed in surprise. “How do you know? Is this an empath thing?”

“I swear. Am I the only one who remembers being a spy for God’s sake?” she said with fake irritation. “Have you seen how nervous he’s been around you tonight?”

“Uh. No?”

She continued, ignoring him. “And he’s always a little nervous around me, but even more so than usual this time around.”

“And that means he wants to marry Daisy?”

May scoffed, the noise causing Daisy to stir slightly. Once she was sure Daisy was still asleep, Melinda continued. “By itself, no, Phil. But have you seen them together?”

He spluttered for a moment as he processed what she was saying. “What? But? I- Mel- She? And Sousa? But…” Finally, he took a deep breath and tried again, asking, “Why did you tell me this?”

She glanced up at him. “So you won’t make that ridiculous face you’re making right now,” she teased.

He sighed. “Is she even old enough to get married?”

Melinda chuckled. “She’s thirty-four, Phil, I think she’s fine.”

* * *

Daniel awoke at first light and instinctively reached out for Daisy, but noticing the space next to him was empty. He knew he shouldn’t be worried since they were safe at Jemma’s house, but after months of waking to her sleeping soundly in the bed next to him, he couldn’t help but feel a twinge of concern.

He made his way to the living room, wondering if she had stayed up with May and Coulson. He wasn’t surprised when he saw her laying almost on top of May on the couch, both of them still asleep and burrowed under a mountain of blankets, no doubt put on top of them by Coulson. Hewas in the armchair in the corner, reading a book by lamplight in the early morning shadows.

“Morning, Daniel.”

“Coulson,” he responded with a nod. “Can I make you a cup of coffee?”

* * *

Melinda woke suddenly, feeling a surge of emotion that wasn’t hers. She couldn’t move with Daisy on top of her, but she blinked a few times, realizing the relief and nervous excitement she felt were Sousa’s coming from a nearby room. He must’ve asked Coulson about Daisy, then.

May ran her fingers through Daisy’s hair, pushing it back out of the younger agent’s face yet again, and Daisy stirred, blinking blearily up at May.

“Wha’ time ‘sit?” she asked looking around.

May chuckled. “Sometime after daybreak.”

Daisy rubbed her face, trying to wake herself up. “Did we sleep on the couch all night?”

“I don’t remember falling asleep. I guess Phil buried us in the blankets,” May said as they both managed to sit up despite the pile of heavy blankets stacked on top of them.

“Ugh. Need coffee,” Daisy grumbled.

Daniel and Phil walked into the room, the former looking very chipper and the latter looking very emotional.

“Ladies,” Sousa said with a nod as he handed Daisy a mug filled with coffee, and Phil handed Melinda a mug of hot tea.

“Thanks,” the women said in unison.

Alya came sprinting down the stairs a moment later. “Pop-pop! Can we go have a snowball fight?  _ Please! _ ”

Phil scooped her up and tickled her, resulting in peals of laughter from the little girl. “I guess we can… What about Aunt Daisy, Daniel, and Nainai? Should we ask them to join us?”

Alya turned in Phil’s arms. “Aunt Daisy, if you play, I promise not to hit you in the face today.”

Daisy grinned. “Ok, let me go get dressed, and I’d love to have another snowball fight.”

Phil put Alya back down, and she and Daisy raced each other up the stairs to get dressed for the outdoors.

From the corner of her eye, she saw Phil slip quietly back into the kitchen, leaving her alone with Sousa.

“May? Can I have a quick word while Daisy is upstairs?”

Melinda grinned. “The answer is yes, Sousa.”

She had caught him off guard. “What?” he asked in confusion.

“Sorry. Go ahead.” May said with a smirk.

“Oh. I just talked to Coulson, but I wanted to ask you as well,” he paused, looking to the stairs, ensuring Daisy was out of earshot. He took a deep breath and launched into a speech he had obviously rehearsed several times before. “I love Daisy with everything I am, May. She’s the first person I look for when I wake up in the morning, and the last person I want to see before I go to sleep each night. She may snore like a log truck- “

May scoffed. “That’s putting it mildly.”

Sousa grinned and continued. “-but there’s no other log truck I’d rather spend my life with. Daisy and I, we  _ get  _ each other, you know? The constant missions, the lifestyle… loving who you have, when you have them?

“We signed up to be heroes, and I’m ready to follow her across galaxies for as long as she wants. I mean, you know Daisy. I couldn’t make her do anything even if I tried. Not that I’m dumb enough to try. 

“I love her more than life itself and would lay down my life for her if it ever came to it. Whether we decide to have kids and the white picket fence or live on the Zephyr hopping from one planet to another, or something else entirely, it doesn’t matter, really. All that matters is that I’m by her side.

“I say all of this to ask you one question: would you give me your blessing to propose to her?”

Melinda smiled broadly at him, happy to hear how much he loved her daughter. She had seen it, felt it, but it was nice to hear him say it nonetheless. “I’ll give it on one condition, Sousa.”

“Which is?” Sousa asked seriously.

“I know I won’t have to worry about it with you, but I need you to understand that Daisy has had to endure more than any one person should ever have to, being bounced around from home to home as a child, and God knows we’ve been through enough in the last ten years.” She locked eyes with him, wanting him to understand where she was coming from. “Just protect her. Be understanding when she’s insecure. Make her feel loved every chance you get, ok?”

Daniel nodded solemnly. “I do that already, May.”

Melinda studied him for a second and knew he was being truthful. “In that case, you have my blessing,” she said with a smile.

* * *

Daisy had already said her goodbyes to May and the FitzSimmons family, but she couldn’t help going back to hug May again, holding her tight for as long as she could. A two day visit at Christmas was not enough. It left a dull ache in her gut knowing she would be away from her family for a year or more.

“I’m going to miss you so much, May.”

“I know, Dais.” Melinda said softly. “But you’ll call me every chance you get, like always. Even if it is in the middle of one of my lectures.”

“Time zones don’t exist in space, May. I can’t help it.”

“I’m teasing,” May said with a smile. “Call me any time to check in or share any  _ news _ .”

Something was weird about the way May said ‘news,’ but before Daisy could comment on it, Coulson appeared, pulling her in for a hug to say goodbye.

“Come see us soon, Daisy.”

It took her a moment to realize what he had said. “Wait. Us?” She looked from May to Coulson in rapid succession, wondering if this meant they were getting together. Or back together? This LMD stuff was confusing. “What do you mean  _ ‘us?’ _ ”

May had a sly smile on her face, but Coulson blushed as he said, “All I can tell you for sure is that I’m done traveling, and Melinda offered me a job.”

Daisy’s eyebrows shot up in a silent question, causing Coulson to blush a deeper shade of scarlet. Who knew LMDs could blush?

“Get your mind out of the gutter, Daisy!” he said in exasperation. “I’m going to teach at the Academy.  _ That’s _ the job.”

Melinda and Daisy made eye contact, and Daisy was certain this time that May winked at her.

“Ready, Daisy?” Sousa called from behind her. “The car is loaded and we are ready to go.”

There was another round of hugs all around before Daisy reluctantly climbed into the vehicle. She waved goodbye to her family, taking note of Coulson’s hand resting on May’s lower back.

Even though they were once again going their separate ways, Daisy was happy to know her family were all safe and at peace. FitzSimmons and Alya were living a quit life in Scotland. May was loving being a teacher now, not putting her life on the line every day. Plus, now Coulson was through trotting the globe and would be close by for May. Mack and Yoyo were thriving in their new positions within Shield, and Yoyo had mentioned they were thinking of trying to have kids in the near future.

“Daniel?” she asked him suddenly. “What if we let this be our last trip to space for a while?”

**Author's Note:**

> Lauren, M, Zi, Moony - Thank you guys for being amazing fandom friends and being willing to scream about Ming, May, Philinda, or MayDaisy with me at any time. And thanks for just being great people in general! :)
> 
> And sorry for murdering you all with my last fic that was all angst. Hope this helps make up for it. :)


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